The Voice Within Me
by Dartedrose
Summary: A regular day for Rose. Until A dangerous creature took all that away. Changeing her life forever.


**Chapter 1**

In the real world, there is no Jesus to cleanse our sins. Even God denounced Satan for his sins. And so the little imp of destruction began to play tricks on God's creation called mankind. He began to drink there blood and rejoiced in their death. And he laughed in the face of God himself. He showed God his new creation of life after death. He sent them on their way to make more of their kind to mess with God. He named them Vampires. The new reign of invisible creatures began, sent by the little imp to destroy and torture mankind.

The darkness; a deep void of nothingness surrounded me. My name, my being, my very existence is unknown to me. I can feel the information in my brain; in my neurons and soul. But I cannot remember for the life of me the information that I need. What happened to me? My bodiless mind wonders. "You are death" said a voice in my head. The one voice that has been in my mind all my life, guiding me through my life's turmoil's. But this time it was harsh and cold scaring me a bit.

Suddenly I feel clammy hands tug at me all around. And with that the lost information seeks it way back to me. But it comes with a price. With each piece of information that comes back to me comes a sting of pain. I remember the night before. I was in an alleyway all alone. It was a shortcut home that I knew and used almost everyday. Night had fallen because I had stayed late at school to do research for an English report. My dad couldn't afford a computer so I had to rely on the schools day after day. It was my 3rd day staying after and so far nothing out of the ordinary occurred to me. It was a cold January night and going through the alley ceased to frighten me but still I walked as quickly as possible. I felt a presence that had not been present the other days behind me. A voice rang "sleep" in my head but I know it was not the voice that I was used to. I must have blacked out before I even hit the ground. And that is all I remember.

The cold hands continued to pull at me and my senses came back. A blurred vision stood before my eyes, it was a face I had never seen before. It wavers a little then disappears all together. The hands elevate me and a warm liquid effulges my mouth. It tasted thick and of copper and iron yet it held a sweet taste to it too. I sputter the foreign taste from my mouth but again a voice said "drink it". This voice was different from the one in the alleyway. It was like a tinker of bells when the voice before was gruff and spiteful. I obey, not wanting to upset the voice, but only reluctantly. Swallowing the liquid a fire runs through my veins all throughout my body. My vision comes back only this time clearer. I open my eyes and again the face from before appear. My sight is different somehow; sharper, more colorful. Like going from a black and white T.V. to a colored one. His alabaster white skin is perfect in every way. The way it shines in the pale room light. The way the tight wrinkless skin frames his perfectly spaced silver eyes. His eyes like wolfs, blue lines flowered out from the pupil to the black rim of his iris. His shoulder length black hair frames his perfect face. His hair like a ravens has a sheen to it no mortal could even wish for. He looked upon me with the utmost curiosity with his beautiful eyes showing a bit of regret in them. I sit up slowly wincing from the pain of my memory coming back to me. "What did you feed me?" I asked. Without a word he produced and equally pale wrist as his face with two faint marks on them. "Blood." He said his voice soft "Come, you must have more. My blood alone is not enough to sustain you through the night." He was already at the door as I stared at him in disbelief. I swear he was just beside me sitting on the couch a moment ago.

"Blood?" I whispered, not wanting to believe it.

"Yes now come!"

I was not going to give up that easily "Where am I? What happened to me? Who and what the hells are you? Why…." Abruptly I stopped. He walked over to me "So many questions for one so young. But it is to be expected, I suppose from you. I will only answer a few for now because it is most important that we go very soon. My name is Nicholas and this is Château du Vant in which my master and I reside in. Now enough idle chatter we must feed before sunrise or else you will die as I had said before. We don't wan that do we? I shook my head and rose up from which I say upon. I looked around at my new surroundings. Lavish furniture of various dark colors and soft looking covers laid throughout the dark room. Only three lights were lit in the room but I could still see the magnificent murals that covered the walls. Renaissance era paintings with angels gleamed on the far wall. The one that caught my attention was a beautiful and intricate painting of the infamous Dante raising from the pits of the fiery hell that he had so bravely walked through.

My lingering upset Nicholas "Come" He demanded and I had to obey. My limbs were heavy and sluggish. He grabbed my hand; his cold hands were the one that I had felt in my dark void of which I have woken from only moments before .Though it was only a passing feeling I was scared. I looked up at his face. I found it eerily beautiful; his skin was marble like in the moonlight; his eyes like wolfs but bright as orbs never to go out. I felt like I was floating for beneath me the pavement came and went like crazy. This sensation astounded me. It felt like I was flying. Though it did hurt my stomach a little I was too happy and amazed by my new world to notice it that much.

My feet touched solid still ground and I found us on a deserted street. Nicholas started down the street into an alleyway where a soft sobbing noise could be heard. Are we on another run? I thought. Was this another victim of a twisted game that I was brought into? Following him reluctantly my eyes came upon a young woman bruised in many places and I could actually feel her broken bones. The scarping of them as she moved to look up at Nicholas's face. I could feel her remorse and see her spirit about to break. Nicholas sooths her; Tells her comforting things; Strokes her greasy hair and she nods and goes limp giving up on her life altogether. I now knew that this was not another person to be brought back into life as a demon. She was to die as a meal to the demons. Nichols filled with pity and despair he bites down into the girls' neck. Not savagely as portrayed in movies and books but carefully, gently, as if she's the most precious thing to him even though they just met. I am disgusted by the whole thing yet oddly drawn in and I think a little jealous of her. This creature that I have met was truly a beautiful one and I was drawn to him in more then one way. And I wanted to be the one in his arms in which he held me tightly and cared for me just this one time. But during all this I was not able to turn away from the scene.

When he was done and stands up setting the girl down carefully I see a change come over him. His lips were fuller and his skin had more a tint to it. I believe that mortals would pass him by without a second glance which I doubt would have been possible if he had looked when I saw him the first time. He looked at me with a look of sorrow. "This is what we are now you and I. We are the creatures and killers of the night cursed to feed upon the willing and punishable." He said remorsefully and looked down upon the dead broken girl. "She had been beaten by a rapist, her father, and left to die with internal bleeding. She was afraid to go to the police because she loved her father still no matter what he did to her and to countless others." He paused and again looked thoughtfully down at her. "Go on" I insisted. He looked up at me in surprise I think he forgot I was even listening to him. "You know she wanted to die." He said "She saw herself as dirty that's why she did not resist. I promised her good dreams as she died." His eyes locked onto mine. "This is a curse that we cannot help. This is a life that I would not want anyone to have. But you…you had no choice in the matter. Michael wanted you that way I suppose. And I could not stop him. But this is what we call fate. This bitterness we will call fate and life." His voice faltered and I asked no more nor said no more. He came near me and took my hand. "Come we must find you someone to feed off of." And before I could protest the same swooping feeling came to my stomach and the alleyway disappeared from view within seconds.

The next thing I knew we were in a prison cell. A boy just a bit over 18 was sitting on his pitiful excuse for a bed, praying. Pointing to him Nicholas said "feed" coldly. My mind races; how am I supposed to feed on another human being? In doing that I would be a monster. "You are not human anymore. Remember that" Said the voice in my head again. Nicholas must have seen my face or read my mind either way he knew what I was thinking. He knew I was afraid but still he said "Feed, he will die in the morning for a crime he did not commit. If he dies now he will not have to die in shame in front of his family. Now please for everyone's sake, feed." I could tell he was growing impatient with every passing minute. He kept glancing out the windows nervously. "Rose…" Nicholas said as I walked to the wide-eyed prisoner" be sure to give him pleasant dreams." I nodded afraid of incurring the wrath of the young demon though I wasn't sure how I could do that or how he knew my name because I had certainly not told him but I dared not ask.

The closer I came to my victim the wider his eyes grew until I was standing over hearing his rushing blood and smelling his dirt and grime that he had accumulated over the past few months. His eyes now reflected the same look that probably lied on my face earlier that night. A look of sheer terror held his eyes but at the same time they held the same look the girl earlier held. It was a look of hopelessness and defeat. He was only a lifeless puppet now with the strings being played around with. His soul had been taken from him just as his freedom had. Every ounce of hope had been drained from him. Now after his own friend had betrayed him and his parents were disappointed in him. He had nothing else to live for anymore. When I touched him he offered no resistance and his shaken body melded into mine. I looked at his neck, my prize and meal for tonight, for a while trying very hard to fight my vampiric urges. Finally unable to stand it any longer I bit down with my newly sharpen canines. I withdrew afterwards, horrified by what I had done. His breathing became ragged as the crimson life flowed freely from the wound in his neck. I was mesmerized by it. Before I knew what I was doing I began to lick it up. Its taste was hot a salty to me. I was entranced by it. My mind wanted more. The voice in my head begged me to continue. When I bit down the second time I pictured the prettiest beach in Venice, Italy. The images came to me. The sparkling blue-green water splashed onto the sandy shore leaving foam as the water receded. There was a sunset in the image I conjured. The most beautiful one I could ever possibly imagine. The scene must have reached him because he soon grew peaceful. I stand there with him locked onto me and I onto him. His life force draining away with every gulp I take. His memories play through my mind. There was the little boy playing ball with his middle aged father. His first kiss; the day he found out that he was valedictorian; and the day that his best friend killed his girlfriend and blamed him for it.

Suddenly I feel a hand pull me back "enough". Nicholas said "Someone is coming and he is dead already. Now there is nothing but cold blood. It is not poisonous but it is not very tasty. I pull back from the dead boy now drained of blood, pale in the moonlight and I can hear the footsteps in which Nicholas was speaking of. I felt his blood coursing through my body, angry and rushing. It made me feel full like a little kid after a big meal. I felt alive as I had when I was mortal and I am sure the same changes that occurred in Nicholas had happened to me. I look around the room stopping my thought from forming anymore and distracting me of the present. I cannot find Nicholas anywhere. I panic not knowing what to do. "The bed" says the voice in my head "go under the bed. The shadows will hide you well enough.'' I quickly go underneath the ragged mattress. The guard walks by and glances in quickly. I can feel the fatigue he has been overcome with. I know that he will not find me or even notice the body. I quietly listen to his footsteps go past and down the hall. I get up and look around hoping to find Nicholas somewhere and I see him leaning in the shadows in the corner. I am amazed that I didn't notice him before. He quietly tells me we need to leave fore it will sunrise soon and like all superstition vampires cannot stand sunlight or they will surely parish. He grabs my hand and again we are off, the swooping sensation comes back to me. His hand is now warm and pulsing with the girl's blood as is mine.

We arrive outside what I take to be the house that I must call home now. It is fancy and old looking. Ivy covers the walls and twists up the poles in front of the house. It was very beautiful indeed but my heart longed for the small house that I share with my dad. He must be worried sick. Still holding my hand he leads me into the ivy covered house. We go past the room in which I had awakened in and into a hallway that is covered in only wallpaper. I quietly take in my surrounds noting the different doors and making a reminder to myself to visit these rooms soon. "In there is the library. You can use it whenever you feel like it just make sure you put the books back where you find them. The master is very particular about neatness." I jumped at his voice. He looked back at me and smiled a faint sad smile "Don't worry too much things will get better. I'll teach you things tomorrow night when we have more time." I returned his smile and he continued down another flight of stairs into what I assumed was the basement.

At the end of the stairs a heavy looking wooden door was open. We went through it and I stopped at what I saw next. Two stone sarcophagi lied in the middle of the stone floor. The room itself was colorless and I became afraid. I did not want to sleep in those. One sarcophagus was already closed the other was left open and I could see plum satin lining cover the inside. It looked comfortable enough but the idea of sleeping in a coffin freaked me out even more. It seemed too dead for my taste. "Don't worry. You'll get used to it. I think for tonight you will have to sleep with me though. I see Michael has yet to get a new coffin for you. Stupid man."

"Michael?" I ask "Is that who this 'master person is?"

"Yes. Michael is our master. The one who made us what we are now. And I see the bastard is already sleeping soundly." He said spitefully. "Sometimes he makes me sick. But that is beside the point. We must sleep now. I am sure the blood is having that effect on you. It will be like that for a while." He walked over to the sarcophagus and started to climb in. "Wait" I said letting go of his hand "What am I going to do again?"

He sighed "Please not now. You know very well what you have to do. It's only for a night and during that time you will not even notice me or anything."

"You mean I have to get in _there?_ I hate coffins." I whine.

"Just come on. Here" he offered his hand again but this time he was in the sarcophagus. I took it reluctantly. "Now just take a step over the wall of one side. There you go." I had climbed into the sarcophagus and lied down next to him. The size of the sarcophagus was big enough to hold both of us. "See that wasn't so hard was it?" he asked the faint sad smile returning to his lips. "Your not going to shut it are you?" I asked quickly "I sorda have to otherwise the sun will get to us. And well then frankly, we'll die in a burst of fire." I moaned as he closed the lid of the stone sarcophagus. We were plunged in total darkness. I couldn't even see Nicholas who was right beside me. "See" He said in a soft voice "It isn't so bad. I wouldn't worry. Just let yourself sleep and forget and when you wake up tomorrow I will be right here waiting for you." I was touched by the tenderness in his voice and went a little closer to him. He seemed surprised from it but did not resist nor complain. Instead he took his hand and laid it on my arm. "Okay? My hand will be right here to let you know that I am here and I can promise you that it will be there tomorrow night too." I nodded with my head on his warm chest and closed my eyes. So much has happened tonight yet I knew nothing about what was to happen later on. I let my mind think of little things as I drifted off to a sleep that was much welcomed finally bringing my day's adventure to an end. I hoped my questions would be answered and my mind put at ease the next night and somehow I knew that Nicholas would take care of that. But what about Michael the mysterious master of the Château du Vant? Would I get to meet him? But finally my sleepiness took over me and I drifted off to a sleep that would do insomniacs pride.

**Chapter 2**

The next night I woke up. I felt cool slippery cloth underneath me. For a moment I forgot where I was. What had happened the night before? Nicholas was still next to me but awake for the most part. I think he was still drifting but as soon as I stirred he said in a soft voice "See I told you I would be right here when you woke up." His hand also was still lying on my arm. I was touched by his gentleness and all my fear of him disappeared. "Were you watching me this whole time?" I asked. He said nothing about the fact instead he just said "Lets us go. I gather you want to look around the place. No, don't worry its okay tonight. We have time to kill for a while. But after you are done please meet me back in the foyer. You do remember where it is?'' Again I nodded amused by his choice of words and without another word he climbed out of the sarcophagus and walked away. His movements were absolutely graceful. Like a dance. Strongly posed and practiced. I was left in the cold yet comfortable sarcophagus all alone left in my thoughts.

My thoughts drifted off to my dad. I wondered if he has been worried. He probably has. With it just being him and I he starts to panic if I get home late. In fact he advised me against even staying after school to do research. You see my mom had died when I was 10. They all said she died of an illness but I found out the truth anyways. I remember sneaking in his files and looking up things. I found police reports and hospital records and even a court paper. My mother was raped and murdered and the suspect was never found. I never told my dad that I had found out. I think it would hurt him even more that I knew and brought up the past. I was just finishing high school and had a scholarship to Saint Mary's University. I was set on becoming a pediatrician and I would take some classes at John Hopkins for my Md. I felt horrible. I wanted to see my dad. Tell him that everything's okay and be able to ease his mind.

I stretched out and sat up. It was cold in the basement but the feeling just bounced off of me. It didn't effect me like it would to humans but in fact it barley touched me. I climbed out of the sarcophagus making no sound as I landed. I was amazed by my new powers and thrilled at the same time. It was like an adventure being in my new skin. Everything felt so different and looked so different. My sight was 100 times better than any mortals. I could see every single chip, crack, and even the pore in the stone even in the darkness. I took this time to observe my stone bedroom. It was dark like all dungeons were with no windows. I walked out of the basement and went up the stairs and down the hallway where I had came through the night before. My movements were fast and soundless.

On the way down the hall various doors were on either side of the hall. My curiosity got the best of me. I opened one of the doors and looked in. I was surprised to see that it was a bedroom. It was a medium sized room no bigger then the one at my old house. There was a small window on the far side of the door. A twin sized bed lied underneath the window. It had beautiful silver, black, and blue comforter on top of what I took to be bleach white bed sheets with a maroon pillow on top. On the left wall was an old wooden dresser with a mirror on top. The dresser was empty. I went over to the mirror and looked in. My blonde brown hair was lighter then ever and it was quite thick when I ran my hands through it. Like Nicholas's hair, it had sheen to it too. I had less wrinkles in my fingers and face. My nails were glossy and thick and I think they were stronger too. My eyes once bright blue, are now an icy grey blue. I twisted my head this way and that and they seemed to change colors to correspond to the surrounding colors. I stood there for a while admiring my image in the mirror and then moved on out of the room shutting the cherry wood door.

As I went down the hall I passed many other doors which were probably the same as the one I was just in. when I reached the split in the halls I tried to remember which way I should go. I went to the left but I did not find the foyer. Instead I was in a chrome room. I gathered it was the kitchen. The refrigerator and stove gave it away. - The tile was white and black checkered. A wooden table sat next to the black topped counter. "What would a vampire need with a kitchen?" I wondered aloud. The empty kitchen gave no response so I turned away and walked the other way and finally found myself in the foyer. Nicholas was sitting in the chair nearest to the door staring in the air. "Hello?" I said and he almost jumped and looked at me in alarm. I was surprised myself that I had caught him off guard and so I decided to taunt him a bit. "I startle you didn't I?" I asked with a grin.

"Yes well. Even I can startle once of twice." He said

"So why are we staying down here?"

"Do you want to visit your dad and tell him you're alright?" he asked. I swear he read my mind from before.

"And you couldn't tell me that before?"

"Frankly, no. The master would hear and no allow it." He said very quietly

"Okay first off why would he disapprove? And second off what should I tell my dad…" he cut me off before I could finish rambling. "You'll know when you get there. I know you want to see him and I know you care about him. So I am asking you do you want to go?''

I thought about it for a few minutes. What should I say to him? Should I be like Hi dad. I'm sorry I left so suddenly but I'm okay. There's just one small problem with my whole living thing. I feed off the blood of others enable to keep myself alive. Oh and one more thing, I'm going to go live with other vampires so I won't be coming back anytime soon. Somehow that sounded too cruel to say to him. I mean he is my dad after all. And I care for him deeply and he would be heart broken that his only relative left is gone. I think the truth would be too much for him to handle. But I can't just lie to him. I have no other reason for my absence in the house. So what's a girl to do?

Nicholas was still looking at me with questioning eyes. "Yes. I want to see him one last time." He nodded "Okay. Let us go then and afterwards I can explain everything that is needed."

"Why is this so important to you?" I asked him. He seemed to press the idea that I should see him even if I didn't want to. It was like something weighed heavily on his mind in this situation. "I just have some regrets of the past that I could never take back even though I would love more then anything to do."

"Well, what happened?" I pressed wanting to know what I could manage to get out of him. He looked at me; I could not tell if he was upset or mad. After a long pause he said "When I was newly made my family still lived. Master never let me visit them no matter how much I persisted. I was told that my mother had died from grief of losing her only son and my dad had committed suicide when my mother died unable to live any longer in the world that had taken the love of his life away. They left my sisters to fend for themselves and in that time women were not as powerful as they are now. I just can't help but wonder what would have happened if I went just once to let them know I was okay but moving on." He started to smile as if in a fond memory. A chuckle escaped him and he continued. "All but one sister died. Lillie was her name, the one that lived. She was my favorite sister. She was kind and always there to make me feel better if any of the other boys picked on me for not fighting them. She would hold me and tell me that she thought I was courageous for not being what they wanted me to be. For following my own path she said she admired me for that. I loved her dearly. She was beautiful and very kind." He stopped looking confused for a moment. "What happened to her?" I asked. He looked at me seeming surprised that I was standing near him. I think he forgot I was even there while reminiscing. "She married, had a few kids. Her husband was abusive so one morning he was mysteriously found dead due to a huge amount of blood being drained. The only clue they had were two puncture wounds on his neck. She survived on her own. That girl had a very strong will."

"You mean you killed him?"

"Of course I did. He hurt her and even if I could not show my face to her I could at least help her through life." He said sharply. " I loved that girl very much and it pained me to see her go through life being ridiculed by others because of her family's mistakes in life."

"What of her children? They survived right?" He smiled again at this. "Yes they lived. I followed the blood line where ever it took me. I would help them without showing my face. If they needed money a mysterious envelope filled with hundreds and fifties would appear under there doorstep the next morning."

"So why couldn't you just show your face to them?" I asked

"Because Master would know the moment I they laid their eyes on me. He has that way of doing things like that. He can tell where I am every minute of the day.''

"So what's going to happen when you come with me to my dad's house? Wouldn't he know then?"

"Yes I suppose so but he told me something long ago that if two vampires get together in one spot then the tracking device does not work. It confuses the vampire and they just give up."

"Okay…Do you know if your sister's bloodline still exists?" I asked knowing that a bloodline so pure in those days were hard to maintain. "I believe they still live on. I lost contact with them somewhere around the 1930's. I had to. People were getting suspicious on how they were so well off while the others suffered so much. I never found them since. Sometimes during the night I would catch a glimpse in my mind where they would be living but it was never long enough for me to actually tell where they are. Now please enough of this for now. Time is wasting and we do not know how long this will take."

We went out of the house and a cool breeze met my skin. Like before he took my hand and we were off to my father's house. We came to the house only moments after. My old decrepit house was very different from the mansion I know resided in. The white paint was peeling from the cheep siding and some of the black shutters were falling off. It was not much to look at but to me it was home and the only thing I would ever call home despite where I lived now. The porch light was on, like he was hoping I would come back like nothing was wrong. I started to walk off and I suddenly realized that Nicholas was still holding my hand and was standing in place, transfixed by the broken little house. I quickly snatched it back and he, like always, offered no response.

"I will stay here until you come back. Please make it as quick as you can." I walked slowly up to the dark green door with my keys in my hand. My hand shaking, I unlocked the door and it opened with a click. Leaving Nicholas standing there staring at me I shut the cold plastic door.

The house is quite and the only light that's on is in my dad's bedroom. I looked around the front hall and was surprised at how messy a place can become in such a short amount of time. Trash from tissues lined the floor and an empty pizza box lied open on the old plastic table that sat in front of the T.V. "Who's there? Rose is that you?" Cried a husky voice from the bedroom. "Hi daddy" I quietly said back as I walked to his bedroom. When he saw me he got up from his place on the edge of the bed and threw his arms around me. "Thank God your alright!" He said half crying on my shoulder. I gently wrapped my arms around him in quiet delight and sorrow.

More Later...As logn as I can type it up soon enough!


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